England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Egloskerry St Keria

The Parish

The parish of Egloskerry lies in northeastern Cornwall forming a stretch of the rather convoluted border with neighbouring Devon hereabouts, the 3 parishes of North Petherwin, Werrington and St Giles on the Heath are nowadays part of Cornwall straightening that historical border. Egloskerry is located about 4 miles west of the market town of Launceston and sits about 2 miles north of the A395, a linking road which connects the A30 (Launceston to Bodmin) road with the A38 (Camelford to Stratton) road. Egloskerry is a small village sitting on the northern banks of the River Kensey with most properties lining the lane that parallels the course of that river. Like most parishes in this area Egloskerry would have largely been a farming parish with pastoral methods in dominance, the extractive industries that characterise its county were also present, mostly quarrying of the local stone but from time to time the production of manganese was conducted. Modern developments have come and gone from Egloskerry, a branch railway line which followed the Kensey's valley having closed and been dismantled. Egloskerry is drained eastwards by the Kensey which passes through Launceston to meet the Tamar forming the county border, here water turns south to reach the English Channel to the west of Plymouth. Egloskerry occupies a rising site, 110 metres at the Kensey rising to 130 metres towards the ridge-top of a tongue of higher ground between the valley of the Kensey and the Otterly which reaches 190 metres in a few high spots. Egloskerry parish was fairly typically sized for its area covering close to 2,800 acres which would have supported a population of around 550 parishioners. Whilst Egloskerry is not specifically mentioned in Domesday Book the manor of Penheale within the wider parish was and it was large enough to be amongst the largest 20% of settlements by population, today it is described by Pevsner as ""one of the best gentry houses in Cornwall", then it was held directly by King William and offered 22 ploughs backed up by meadows, pastures and woodland.

The Church

St Keria's church sits at the heart of Egloskerry on the northern side of its main lane and opposite that lane which crosses the Kensey. The church stands within a circular churchyard, in Wales these are indicative of an early Christian site and that seems to be the case here too. The north wall and northern transept survive from the earliest times and are dated to the 12th century Norman Romanesque period. Pevsner speculates that the site held an important Norman church which was later modified into today's parish church. That modification came towards the end of the medieval period when Perpendicular styling was about to transition into a Tudor motif. The 15th century saw the southern aisle and its 5-bay arcade constructed whilst the nave and chancel were rebuilt incorporating elements of the Norman original, the following century saw the 3-stage western tower added to complete the basic plan. It was not until late in the Victorian period, in 1886/7, that a vigorous restoration saw most windows refreshed along with a general refresh of the remainder of the church. A small, triangular, parking area sits just west of the entrance to the churchyard allowing a car or two to safely park. A number of trees dot the churchyard but they are small and do not significantly impede the photographer.